


Am I The Only Living Soul Around?

by keepyourkiwi



Category: Power Rangers 2017 - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, Zack's mom is really the best, have fun, in A HEALTHY WAY, set before and during the movie, the others come later lolz, this probably won't have sex js, zack and Jason being self destructive teens
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2017-05-04
Packaged: 2018-10-26 21:22:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10794996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keepyourkiwi/pseuds/keepyourkiwi
Summary: somebody save your soul, you've been sinning in the city.(jason and zack have what zack calls history)





	1. i've got stamina

**Author's Note:**

> I really fell way to deep with this ship. Please enjoy, I need more stories with them.

Jason knew that there was a long list of bad ideas that he and his friends had attempted to do. That anytime soon, they really should stop it with these stupid ideas if they didn't want to get suspended from the football team. Or even worse, from school.

But it was just so much fun.

Like right now, breaking into the mines to go diving into the deep, deep water was anything but safe. Yet, there a glint in Jason's eye that couldn't turn any of his friends away. It's not like he wanted to be the person they relied on, or how they easily listened to his every word and thought. But here they were. Waiting for one of them to actually jump in the water.

"Fuck this."

Jason made a move by kicking his shoes off, and taking off his jacket. Slowly, the other boys around him started doing the same. He unbuckled his pants, and swiped his shirt off in one swift motion, and yelped as the cold air hit him. Football season trained him for a lot, cold weathers was just not his exact forte. Deciding not to think of it too much, he ran straight past his friends Brett and George, and yelled loudly when he jumped right on into the shallow pond. 

 

As his body hit the water, Jason emerged in what felt like the clearest blue water ever. His body seemed to work on his own, as he swam deeper and deeper into it. Almost as if he was trusting it. It reminded him of swimming in the ocean when he was younger with his dad; free and happy. He opened his eyes to the most beautiful sight. The coal black shining rocks were a contrast from the deep rich blue surrounding it. There were different types of fauna scattered around the area, and Jason's heart constructed in his chest. The water felt and looked beautiful. Jason wanted to stay in this water forever.

Unfortunately, it was short lived as one boy crashed into the water. And then another, and another, and another, until they were all in. They were shouts of happiness and wolf whistles, and Jason decided to take charge as usual. Despite the fact, that what Jason wanted to do was just kick them all out, and stay here by himself.

"Let's fucking party!"

-

Jason sipped on his beer, and watched with piercing eyes, as Brett and this girl argued on what should be played on the speaker the boys brought. The girls coming, weren't his idea. In fact, if he could, he would tell the girls to lose it, and leave what was supposed to be some team bonding. Or for his friends not act like total douches in front of the girl actually. It's not like he wanted to seem lame in front of them, so when the first batch of giggling girls arrived, he just smiled and looked away.

Although it had been fun the first thirty minutes, Jason was starting to become bored at the second hour mark. He just wandered around aimlessly, drinking the beer he's had in his hand for an hour and a half, observing all of his drunk friends. Brett was still by the speaker, passionately and drunkenly arguing with one of the cheerleaders. George was talking to that girl Kimberly, who looks as if she was generally interested. Jason widened his eyes. God must've blessed today, of George could actually get a girl. He snickered, and thought how this would be a lovely conversation started for tomorrow. But soon he was back to his bored feeling.

He thought that maybe he could just sneak off without anyone realizing, but then one of the girls let out a loud curse.

"COPS!"

And like that, everybody was scrambling to leave, and people were already booking it from the party. Jason debated on whether or not to help his friends grab the stereo, but decided against it instead. He could only pick uo his shirt before sprinting in whatever direction he could, leaving his friends long behind. This wasn't the first time, they've been busted, but this was the first time that Jason ran away from his friends, and not with them. Usually it was Jason who was the person that took the blame, proudly and full of pride. Only to regret it the next day. This time, Jason was on his own.

He didn't plan on stopping anytime soon, only when he felt like he could breathe normally all over again. Well he wouldn't be able too for while, but because of the running, but he knew what he meant. Jason shook his head, before pumping his legs even harder.

"Not the time Jason." He mumbled to himself. He took up the hills, looking down as cars were spotting all of his friends one by one. Before getting distracted, he pushed as hard as he could not wanting to get caught. But as fast as he ran, it wasn't fast enough and soon there was a car making it's way up the hill.

Desperately he made a sharp turn hoping the he couldn't be seen, and cursed when it only led to cliff. We weighted his probabilities of making the jump down, or getting caught. Just as he was about to turn around and put his hands up to signal the police, a hand had grabbed his leg and forced him backwards.

He let out a yell, before another hand clamped down on it, and he was sent forcing down and a thought surface. He groaned out in pain, but looked around to see who saved him from a another fight with his parents. His eyes stopped at an Asian looking boy with a t shirt and pajama pants on, and an angry looking expression. 

"You're so lucky my mom's with my aunt at the moment, or else I wouldn't have helped your ass." Jason snorted and all the tension that was between them seemed to disappear. The boy smirked at him, and let out a sigh.

"I'm Zack." He stuck his hand out for Jason to shake it, as Jason opened his mouth to introduce himself.

"Oh wait don't tell," Zack put his hand to his head as if he was trying to remember something before snapping his fingers. "Are you Jason Scott? The guy who gets mentioned in the school's morning announcement every single day?"

Jason looked down in slight embarrassment, before offering a small smile. He gripped Zack's hand and shook it for a few seconds before letting go. Zack stood up, and motioned for Jason to do the same.

"I'm surprised we didn't break the roof of my home, my mom would've killed us, brought us back to life to fix it, and then kill us again." Jason managed out a laugh before looking down and where they were. He was on top of what seemed to be a medium sized trailer, but Zack looked as if it was his pride and joy. 

"You're mom sounds great." Watching as Zack climbed down a rickety ladder that was slumping against the side of his home. 

"My mom's the best." There a tone of fondness in Zack's voice, and a small smile that was completed with a faraway look in his eyes. Jason couldn't help but feel as if he was barging in on an intimate moment. However, Zack quickly shook his head and offered Jason a smile, as he finished climbing down the ladder.

"Mind tell me what brings your to my neck of the woods?" Jason let out an awkward 'ah' before putting his hand to he back of his neck; rubbing it back and forth. It was a little awkward telling people he and his friends 'cool' stories. 

"We went swimming in the pond right by the weird rock wall." He mumbled it out but loud enough so that Zack was able to hear him. Zack let out a short laugh, before looking at Jason with an inquisitive stare.

"And where are all these friends of yours right now?" He said as he opened the door to his trailer, and Jason followed behind him, making sure to close the door. Again he let out an awkward laugh before meeting Zack's knowing gaze.

"I kinda ditched them trying to run away." Zack huffs out another sound before clicking his tongue, and shaking his head.

Awkwardly, Jason stands in the middle of the tiny room trying to find something to do. There were letter upon letter scattered everywhere, the majority that looked to be medical bills and school notes. There were empty pill bottles and a devastatingly high amount of energy drinks scattered around the floor. The color that kept appearing around the room was black; a black backpack, black jacket, black sneakers.

It all seemed so bleak, but cozy at the same time. 

"Alright this shirt should fit you well enough. We can't all be buff and tall." Zack's tone was one of playfulness, and Jason offered what seemed to be nth smile today to Zack. Zack told him that the restroom was to the left, and he shuffled his way through the house.

He changed into the new clothes at a lightning speed, before stepping back out to see Zack sitting in the middle of the floor.

"Chess?"

-

"You're fucking lying in my face." Jason tilted his head back in laughter and looked back at Zack who looked half amused and half in awe. Jason was recalling the time, he got away with totaling his neighbors car by saying it was the school's delinquent, Josh. At first he felt bad, but when Josh took up the accident with pride to make himself look cooler, Jason couldn't bring himself to care.

And now as he finished recounting the detail to Zack, who's cheeks were flushed, and who's eyes were in crescent shapes, Jason became suddenly quiet. The urge to do something was there, but Jason couldn't figure out what. All he knew is that the image of Zack with a big smile, and floppy hair was one to remember. Zack had locked his eyes with Jason's gaze, and tilted his head as if trying to figure what Jason was thinking.

"I honestly wish I was there to see how pissed your neighbor looked." And although the sentence was supposed to be funny, there was an odd sense of endearment attached to Zack's tone. Jason looked up, and offered Zack a shrug. 

"Maybe if you came to school tomorrow, we could do something along those lines." Jason wiggled his eyebrows, and Zack let out laugh before biting his lip. Jason hoped that he wasn't imposing on Zack, cause by the looks of the place, it was only Zack and his mom. And his mom didn't seem to healthy. Earlier, Zack said something along the lines of crashing and burning on his skateboard when going to pick his mom's meds, but Jason just nodded back. Making sure to keep the mental note to himself.

"I'll see what I can do Scott." Jason nodded his head, and they went back to playing chess.

For a while, Jason was glad that they had played the game in silence. There were a lot of hums, and little laughs scattered throughout the room. Zack always had the same smirk permanently stuck his face, and a way Jason couldn't help but notice. Now that he actually thought about it, Zack wasn't ugly. In fact, Zack was pretty attractive, with the prominent Cupid's bow, and messy locks.

Jason shook his head before looking at Zack again, this room felt a little too suffocating now. 

"I think I'm gonna jet, before my parents decide to try and skin me alive." Zack looked up and let out a small frown, before grinning again.

"Yea if it was my mom I would do the same." Zack stood up and offered Jason his hand. Hesitantly, Jason took it, noticing how long and slim his were. His hand looked prettier than most girls. Zack took it out of his grasp, before opening the door to his quaint trailer. A large part of Jason was telling him to stay, but he didn't need another lecture.

He awkwardly waved his hand goodbye to Zack, and made a promise to return these clothes to him as soon as possible. Zack saluted him, and mockingly bowed as Jason walked through the steps. Before he could regret it, Jason turned back around.

"I hope I'll see you tomorrow."

Zack didn't say anything, but smiled even wider before closing the door. Jason stood there a few moments, watching the lights flick off, and Zack's shadow effortlessly walking through the house. Jason turned around, and sighed, mentally preparing himself for the long walk.

Oddly enough, Jason couldn't bring it in himself to care.


	2. Remember When

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The boy offered a smile, and in turned Zack body melted from the inside out."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooooo a chapter in Zack's pov, and a flashback!11!1!1!!11!1!!1!11!

Zack squinted his eyes, and looked up at the building he hadn't been to, in over a month. Last night, when he called his aunt at an ungodly time asking if his mom could stay while he went to school, he didn't expect his aunt to actually say yes. Most of the time, Zack would pick his mom up as soon as possible, and stay with her until she smacked Zack for not studying. And then Zack would smile and lie to her saying that he's doing great in school, and to stop worrying.

Except for the fact that Zack only comes here to pick up notes, and textbooks. That he's actually been doing pretty okay with the at home school work. And only comes in, if mandatory. But here he is today, totally not here because his crush of three years had finally noticed him. If you told Zack two years ago, that Jason Lee Scott would ask to personally hang out with Zack, he could've punched you in the face for lying. 

Somebody like Jason Scott, could never go for Zack Taylor.

But maybe, just maybe, they could be friends. They could actually hang out with each other, and get to know each other, just like they did yesterday. Jason was even prettier up close. Well, he wasn't pretty, but his long eyelashes, and his slightly red cheeks from running, and his piercing blue eyes. Those were all so pretty.

Zack's crush on Jason began in the beginning of his ninth grade year. Three months prior to his mom catching a cold, she could never get rid of. He was on his way home from another day of school, and 14 year old Zack was an angsty one.

-

He had been muttering under his breath, about his teacher who hadn't raised up his grade, even after he did the extra credit. It's not his fault that Mrs. Goldberg, didn't know how to organized. But maybe it was Zack's fault for muttering 'dumbass' under his breath. 

The day had not being going great for Zack, and he had every intention of going back to his home, and sleeping. He hoped today that his mom cooked his favorite dish, macaroni and cheese. However, lately he's been noticing that his mom has increasingly become more tired, but his mom shrugged it off to not getting enough sleep and taking care of her 'energetic little monkey'. Zack smiled and shook his head, his mom was seriously the best.

Lost in his thoughts, Zack failed to notice the older man who was speed walking to a destination. The man walked straight into the 14 year old, flinging him backwards. He looked to see his culprit, but the burly man was already walking away. Zack cussed under his breath, and looked around to see all of his school work laying on the sidewalk. He clicked his tongue before beginning to start picking up papers.

He was halfway through picking them up before gasping out loud, and letting out a curse. His biology homework! Honestly he couldn't care less about the actual homework, but his mom had been wanting to see it, since it was a list of similarities between parents. He had worked on that diagram for the past week, and he wasn't about to let his mom down.

He began scrambling through the papers, looking for the project, and was making an even bigger mess then there was in the first place. Suddenly he heard scuffling behind, and looked back to see a tiny tiny dog wagging his even tinier tail behind him. Zack was about to coo at the cute dog before he noticed an eerily familiar paper in the dog's mouth.

He gasped out loud before getting up to grab it, but the dog seemed to not notice his sudden distress. The dog looked at him happily, and then it began to run in the opposite direction. Zack gasped, as the dog began to run further and further. Quickly snapping out of it, Zack left all of his papers behind, be it grabbed his backpack before chasing after the dog.

The dog seemed to be knowing exactly where it was running to, as it never made any stops or showed hesitation. However, Zack noticed that the dog was sending him to a nice and rich neighborhood. He hoped he didn't just piss off the wrong people. 

The tiny dog stopped in front of the law, and Zack walked up to the dog quietly before bending down in front of it. The dog eagerly looked at Zack, as if waiting for Zack to begin chasing him again. Zack scowled at the dog, before opening up his hand and showing the dog his palm, face up. As if saying 'give me the homework now.' The dog shakes his tail even faster, and started to bounce happily.

"Cmon man, I need to show my mom the paper." Zack had all but whined to the dog, wanting so badly to go before his owner came. The dog looked at Zack almost disapprovingly, and Zack just shook his hand intensely. He really wanted to get out of here before something elder went down.

"Bailey, drop the paper." As soon as the words left the assertive voice, the dog instantly dropped Zack's homework from his mouth. Zack immediately grabbed, and looked to see the damage done to it. It was pretty grotesque, but clear enough that you could be able to tell what was what. Main in just tinted the dark colors he used for chart in the middle of the paper, the rest looked the same. Crumpled, but the same.

Zack was so focused on his chart, that he didn't notice that the person was still there. Until he stood right in from of Zack, who was still in his crouching form. Zack looked up with a sheepish smile, only to have his jaw dropped.

In front of him, had to be the most attractive person Zack had ever laid his eyes on. He looked to be Zack's age, but while Zack was still enjoying the pimple-ensuing joys of puberty, this boy had seemed to outgrow it a long time ago. His body was lean, but toned, and he wore a blouse complementing that feature. He had dark blonde curly hair, that fell the tiniest bit over his forehead. And the most piercing blue eyes, Zack has seen before. The were staring at him with a mixture of intensity and genuineness, that had Zack's stomach doing backflips.

The boy offered a smile, and in turned Zack body melted from the inside out.

"I'm so sorry about Bailey. He usually not like this." The said dog was in the boy's hands, and looked so tiny and innocent. He tried to be mad, and berate the guy for not watching him, but one look at the guy's sheepish face, and Zack had to fight the grin that was involuntarily forming.

"It's alright, I never got to use the dog at me homework excuse before." The both chuckled at Zack's lame excuse of a joke, before the other boy sobered up.

"No man, I feel horrible. You must've worked on that project a lot, if you went to the trouble of chasing it. I swear to you, that Bailey will not get away with it." The boy talked like a mini-teacher. It was downright endearing.

"Hey no worries man, I'm sure the little guy didn't mean it." Zack offered the boy his best smile, and in return the boy smiled back. Was everything about this boy supposed to give Zack hear palpitations?

The boy lifted up Bailey, and looked at him with his brows furrowed.

"Alright Bailey I want you to apologize to...," His gaze wondered to Zack, and looked at him with a curious gaze. 

"Zack."

The boy offered the him an even larger grin the two previous ones, before going back to Bailey. "I want you to apologize to Zack over here, okay Bales?"

Zack wanted to die in heaven. The dog's nickname was Bales. He was about pass out, or fall in love. Zack couldn't tell, nor could he bring it in himself to care. 

The dog smiled at Zack, and he stuck out his tongue as if offering Zack a kiss. Zack pretended as if he didn't forgive the dog, the second he laid eyes on his owner, and brought up his hand to ruffle the dogs hair. Strangely enough, Zack wondered if the boy's hair was as soft and smooth at his.

"Well again, I'm sorry about Bailey so much. Usually he's so well-behaved I don't know what's going on with him." Zack shook his head in defiance.

"You don't have to keep shaking your head, really it's fine..." and just like the boy did, Zack looked over at the boy with a curious gaze, and wanting to know his name.

"Jason. And if you insists that it's fine, then okay. My repetitive apologies will stop." Jason huffed out a laugh, and in turn Zack's smile widened. The name Jason seemed almost perfect for the boy.

"Wel I should probably get home, before my mom freaks on me." Jason nodded his head in understanding, before tilting his head.

"You look familiar. Do you go to Angel Grove?" Zack's face lit up. Did he and Jason really have a chance of seeing each other again?

"Yea dude, it's not like I got any other place to go." Both Jason and Zack smiled from his poor attempt at a joke, before Jason looked at Zack with a look in his eyes that Zack couldn't exactly place.

"The next time I see you, we should definitely hang out." Zack nodded his head, before saying goodbye to Jason. Who in turn, held up Bailey's paw and waved back at him. Zack stuffed the biology homework in his backpack, before beginning to jog back home. 

He lost at least half his schoolwork, and got scolded by both his mom, and teachers. But when he thought back to Jason's smile he couldn't help, but feel as if it was worth it. 

-

Zack shook his head out of the fond memory, and walked right through the doors ignoring the confusing looks.

Unfortunately, the pair didn't see each other until yesterday night. After their first impressions of each other, Zack had only stayed in school for about two more months, before having to resort to a lot of at home work. His mom had just become way too sick, to be left alone. And with Zack's mom's help deteriorating, so was his time at school. However, the only thing he kept on his mind constantly, besides him mom, was Jason.

Jason who, on the rare occasions that Zack went to school, looked exactly the same, but at the same time different from who he was three years ago. Jason had lost and traces of baby fat from his body, and looked like a certified hunk. His dark blonde had been cut the tiniest bit shorter, but the eyes. Those eyes had not changed one bit, still as blue and as piercing, as their first encounter.

He didn't know exactly what made him pull Jason's down, but it probably had something to do with 14 year old Zack's intense crush on him. He looked up on the boy who was standing on the cliff right above his trailer, and the feeling of familiarity spread through his head. Taking a gamble, Zack jumped up and grabbed the boy, hoping he hadn't just made a huge mistake.

When he looked up to see as confused, and flushed Jason Scott in front of him, Zack gulped. He hasn't seen his crush up close in so long. And he had turned even more attractive, in the three years they hadn't seen each other. Ten minutes into talking with Jason, Zack realized that the boy had no recalling of their first time meeting each other, and Zack couldn't blame him. It had been three, almost four years, and he liked to think that they both matured in that time frame.

So as he walked through the doors, with a death grip on his backpack straps, he hoped that Jason would pop up soon. He knew that the second he set his feet down, Jason would instantly appear. But he hoped it was sooner rather than later.

-

As the bell rang for his last class, Zack groaned out loud. He had not been able to spot Jason the entire day, and was left looking an outcast by himself. Since he never really came to school, he didn't have any friends to hang out with. The closest he got to that was the girl who he's seen meditating up in the mountains. She offered him a questioning look, and Zack offered her a small smile during passing periods.

He had given up on finding Jason, and began walking out of school. He was going to have to take an even longer route, if he wanted to go to his aunt's house, and sighed out loud at the thought of the long walk. This was not going to be fun.

"Hey Zack, where ya going?!" Zack's head shot up at the familiar voice calling him name, and turned around to where he heard the voice coming from. To his delight, Jason Scott was there in all his glory, right next to a car who looked equally a beautiful as the boy who owned it. He had his backpack slung on one shoulder, and his keys lazily hanging out of his hands. I'm Zack's mind, Jason shifted back and forth from the guy in front of him today and the sweet boy holding the puppy a few years back.

"You ready, Taylor?" Zack was snapped out of his thoughts, from Jason who offered Zack a grin, as he motioned his head to the car. Zack thought about his aunt, who said to take as long as he could having fun, and his mom who just wanted what was best for him. He thought about all the day dreaming he had of being friends with Jason Scott, of hanging out with Jason Scott, and of Jason Scott knowing him. So was he ready?

Eagerly, Zack started to make his way to Jason's car and smiled even wider.

"Let's go Scott, you don't know how long I've been waiting."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title taken from my favorite episode of Braceface, the ultimate childhood show.

**Author's Note:**

> that was short and lame lol


End file.
